The present invention relates to the field of energy and is directed to a gas lighter with protection from children, that is the lighter in which an ignition mechanism is combined with means for neutralizing this mechanism being movable between a operating neutralization position in which they prevent activating the ignition mechanism, and a position in which such activation is allowed, whereby these neutralization means are manually moved by a lighter user.
Lighters of this type are known which are described in WO No.A-90/00239 and EP No.A-0357347 wherein means for controlling the opening of a burner valve comprise a rocking lever hinged to a fixed axle of the orthogonal axis of the burner valve, one end of which in the form of horseshoe or enclosure is inserted under a flange of the burner valve while another end or actuating end are designed for activating the lighter by the user who moves it in a direction of the lighter body overcoming the force of a spring, while means for producing sparks are themselves independent or combined with the control lever for opening the valve, and wherein means for neutralizing the ignition mechanism are normally maintained in the neutralization position and are arranged so as to automatically return to the neutralization position at the end of activating the ignition mechanism.
A lighter is known, WO No.A-90/12254, of said type in which means for neutralizing the ignition mechanism comprise a button disposed under an actuating end of a rocking lever, being movable parallel to a longitudinal axis of this rocking lever between an operating position in which it (button) forms a protrusion relative to the actuating end of the lever, and an unnoticeable position in which it moves in a direction of another end of the rocking lever, whereby this button is provided with guiding means relative to the lighter body.
According to this known technical solution, the button has the shape of a horseshoe each end of which is made of elastic material and bears a protrusion, bulge, normally positioned under a bell (casing) encircling the actuating end of the rocking lever such as to prevent this rocking in a direction of the opening of the valve, whereby inner edges of side walls of the lighter body and the ends of the button are provided with additional converging inclined planes in order to cause reduction of the gap from their protrusions as the button moves in a removal position so as to completely free the path of the bell of the actuating end of the rocking lever, while the button and an outer rear edge of the bell of the actuating end of the rocking lever have additional inclined plane of the same inclination capable to act conjointly during release of this end of the rocking lever in order to cause movement of the button in the reverse direction to the operating neutralization position. It can be readily concluded that complexity of the shape of this button (pusher) and additional complexity of the upper portion of this lighter body substantially increase its cost.
A lighter is known, U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,596, in which means for controlling the opening of a valve comprise a rocking lever hinged to a fixed axle, orthogonal to an axis of burner valve of which one end is formed in the shape of a fork or enclosure and inserted under a flange of the burner valve, while another end of which, or an actuating end, is designed for a user to activate the lighter, who (user) pushes, displaces it in a direction of the lighter body overcoming the force of a back-moving spring, whereby spark producing means are themselves independent or combined with control lever for opening the valve, and in which an ignition mechanism is combined with means for neutralizing this mechanism comprising a member movable between an operating neutralization position in which it (member) prevents the control lever for opening the valve from being activated, having a portion disposed under a rear end which activates this lever, and an unnoticeable removal position in which it (member) allows such activation, whereby this member is moved manually by the lighter user from the operating neutralization position to the position of neutralization removal, and is typically retained in the neutralization position and, further, is so arranged that it can be automatically put in the neutralization position at the end of activation of the ignition mechanism.
In this lighter, the mobile movable member comprises a member slidably mounted and capable of being pulled out on the upper edge of its body, whereby said member has a curved rear and typically disposed under the rear end that activates the control lever, wherein said curved end is able to move back to the rear end which activates the control lever to a neutral position of this member. In this lighter the sliding and forward moving member is typically retained in the operating position by the back-moving spring and can move to the neutral position by a pressure applied to its front end. Accordingly, at the time of igniting the lighter, it is necessary to hold the forward moving member in the neutralization position at the same time when the control lever is activated which is not easy to effect using only one hand. On the other hand, due to the fact that this member is positioned by the side of a lighter head, this forward moving member runs the risk of being broken or damaged. Finally, its return to the operating position depends on the presence of its back-moving spring, and it also excessively protrudes beyond the body and there is the risk of it being lost and, consequently, its function would no more be performed which results in impossibility for the lighter to act as a lighter with protection from children.
A gas piezoelectric lighter is known, EP No.A-0488158, having a safety device intended to prevent the possibility of children igniting the lighter and comprising:
a driven cap driven movable in a direction along the body and disposed in the upper portion of the body and spring-pressed relative to the body, and provided with a safety device which has a first position wherein the cap is blocked from the downward movement to the side where the pressure is exerted on the piezo-element, and a second position in which the cap can be received within the body and exert the pressure on the piezo-element. The lighter has a burner valve with a lever for its pressing-off to emit to the atmosphere gaseous fuel stored in the body. The cap in the upper portion is provided with a rectangular cut-out positioned perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the body within which the safety device is located which is a button in the form of a rectangular plate disposed in the cap and movable along the cut-out in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the lighter and able to return to the initial position under the action of a button spring. Here the button in the form of the rectangular plate has a protrusion directed toward the piezo-element such that in the initial position said protrusion is placed in a side cut-out of a body wall. At the same time, from the other side the button is supported by an additional support member secured to the body. With such double support, the cap cannot move downward since it is fixed relative to the body walls. When the button plate moves along the cut-out in the cap, the plate protrusion comes out of the side cut-out of the body wall which allows the cap to move downward to provide the possibility to produce a spark and ignite the gaseous fuel exiting from the burner valve.
Although this lighter has the ability to protect it from the use by children, it is insufficiently secure and reliable in use. The use of the lighter does not require increased attention and concentration with regard to actions performed during igniting. Generally, lighters of such type are produced for an attentive user who punctually follows instructions for use of such lighter. However, the practice shows that in using a lighter, it is not always possible to be highly attentive and concentrated as to performed actions when igniting because such actions are sometimes performed mechanically. In this connection, a situation arises when a user, not completely having removed the blocking, starts to depress the cap, and when resistance occurs to cap depressing, the burner valve lever also inadvertently increases the pressure on the cap which may cause break-down of the safety device or the lighter as a whole. Also cases are possible when the button of the safety device spontaneously displaces from the neutralization position due to accidental slight movement of the button which results in igniting the lighter by a child. Naturally, such shortcomings should be eliminated.